So you’ve got Netflix now and you want to chill? Almost 10 years after it hit the internet and made binge-viewing a pop culture phenomenon, the online-streaming service finally made its debut in the UAE on January 6. Part of an aggressive 130-country roll-out, the Emirates is now one of 190 countries where you can watch unlimited TV shows, movies and documentaries for as low as Dh29, whenever and wherever you want.
Although considered a pioneer, Netflix’ arrival was preceded by other online streaming services in the UAE. But what sets it apart from the competition is content, says Bhavishya Kanjhan, the founder of technology blog Techview.me and director at Computer Care, a computer hardware retail chain.
Kanjhan subscribes it for the TV shows.
“It’s all about back content for me, even older shows. The ability to watch a whole catalogue of shows whenever you want is amazing,” he says.
Faisal Hashmi, a UAE-based filmmaker, says he’s discovered a lot of interesting film titles he’s never heard of before. “The more you use it, the more it understands you and your choices. Then it gives you similar suggestions,” he explains.
Comparisons have been made inevitably with Netflix content in other countries, namely the US. Netflix original shows such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, for instance, are not included in the UAE, because the rights were already licensed to local providers.
Those issues are being ironed out, says Joris Evers, the vice president and head of communications for Europe, Middle East and Africa for Netflix.
“We will continue to respect and enforce content licensing by geographic location. [But] we look forward to offering all of our content everywhere and to consumers being able to enjoy all of Netflix without using a proxy. That’s the goal we will keep pushing towards,” he says.
The company is spending upwards of $5 billion (Dh18.36 billion) in programming in 2016, he adds.
So, if you’re still on the fence about subscribing, here are 10 things you might want to know about Netflix in the UAE:
It’s free for one month
With a sign-up, you get to enjoy everything Netflix has to offer, free for a month. After that, the membership continues but only if you don’t cancel it. Membership plans start at Dh29.34 for a Basic plan, without HD. “If you’re unsure, sign up for the free month and try. You’ve got nothing to lose,” says techview.me’s Kanjhan. “Just don’t forget to cancel it.” Also, because it’s a month-to-month subscription, there are no long-term contracts. You can cancel your subscription any time.
The devices you can use
The beauty of Netflix is that it’s available on multiple platforms, says Kanjhan. You can watch it via your smartphone, tablet, Apple TV, a PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, or many Smart TVs. Or go old-school and watch it on your computer. But your membership plan will dictate how many devices you can use it on.
Streaming it
To be able to enjoy your movies and TV shows, you need a minimum speed of 0.5 Megabits per second. For HD, you need 5.0 Megabits per second and for Ultra HD, 25 Megabits per second. You can also control how much data your Netflix consumes in the settings. Just remember that watching movies or TV shows on Netflix uses about 1GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3GB per hour for each stream of HD video.
“If your internet speed fluctuates, Netflix does not buffer the stream, it just reduces the quality of the video and continues the playback. So there’s no interruption,” explains Kanjhan.
Watching on non-smart TVs
Although many people now watch their TV shows on laptops, if you prefer the larger screen of your TV, and it’s not smart, there are various ways to work around it. “Most TVs made after 2006 come with an HDMI port. All you have to do is buy an HDMI wire, which costs between Dh25 to Dh100, depending on the brand and length, and you’re good to go,” says Computer Care’s Kanjhan. “Or you can make your TV smart by investing in streaming devices like Chromecast or Apple TV.”
Using VPN
“Don’t do it,” is the advise from Netflix. Subscribers have been known to log on to a ‘virtual private network’ that allows them to access content that is unavailable in their country. And hey, it’s illegal in the UAE, too.
“If all of our content were globally available, there wouldn’t be a reason for members to use proxies or ‘unblockers’ to fool our systems into thinking they’re in a different country than they’re actually in. To address this, we employ the same or similar measures other firms do,” says Netflix’ Evers. “Those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are. We are confident this change won’t impact members not using proxies.”
The content
Yes, all new Netflix shows will be available in the UAE. “We will launch more than 30 new Netflix original series (or seasons of existing series) this year. Most of these will be available to our members everywhere, exclusively on Netflix,” says Evers. “In addition to that, we’re quickly expanding our original film initiative, we will launch more than 10 films exclusively on Netflix in 2016. Beyond that we have plenty of kids programming and documentaries readying for release, making sure that there’s always something new to discover and watch on Netflix.”
Made for the UAE
Narcos, the Netflix series based on the life of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, is winning rave reviews. Evers says his company is always looking for stories from around the world. “We’re already making series and films in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan, Italy, Mexico and the UK, and are always on the lookout for new and compelling projects that would appeal to a global audience, this includes the UAE,” he says.
